This week we feature student Kristine Alger, Adjunct Professor Richard Yetwin, and alum Ted Vogt, who will be on campus tomorrow, speaking to students about his career path in military and public service.

Until the footnotes,

Marc

Students

Kristine Alger (Class of 2014)

Kristine Alger, from Newport News, Virginia, earned a BS in psychology and sociology from the University of Mary Washington in her home state.

Passionate about civil rights and advocating for people with disabilities, Kristine was thrilled to land a summer internship at the US Department of Justice Civil Rights Division's Special Litigation Section, which enforces the civil rights of institutionalized individuals, including people with disabilities, people living in nursing facilities, and those in prisons or juvenile detention centers.

Much of Kristine's work at the DOJ involved enforcing the integration mandate of the Americans with Disabilities Act, "which basically says that states must serve individuals with disabilities in the least restrictive environment that is appropriate to their needs," she says.

"This was really exciting for me, because the settlements that come out of the DOJ on this issue are really sweeping, having a huge impact on states and people with disabilities. As you can probably tell, I really enjoy disability rights work, and that's what I want to end up doing for my career."

When not studying or advocating for others' civil liberties, Kristine likes to take her two dogs for walks with her husband, Kevin, a teacher in Oro Valley, and "force him to watch mind-numbing reality TV."

Many alumni will remember their Real Estate Transactions class ("Deals") with Richard Yetwin.

An adjunct professor at the College of Law since 1993, Richard will retire from teaching and law practice early next year. Like many of our adjuncts, he enhances student learning and opportunity with his professional experience and recognition (Southwest Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, etc.), and elevates our law school's reputation with his affiliation and service.

Originally from Springfield, Massachusetts, Richard earned a BS from Tufts University and a JD from Boston University Law School. He served in the military on active duty in the Army Adjutant General Corps and was honorably discharged as a Captain after eight years in the Army Reserve.

In 1972 he joined the Tucson office of DeConcini McDonald Yetwin & Lacy, P.C., a firm with deep ties to our law school. Founded in 1968 by Arizona Law alum Evo DeConcini ('32), former Arizona Attorney General and Arizona Supreme Court Justice, the firm today is one of Tucson's largest locally owned law firms, and nearly all of its Shareholders are Wildcats.

In his practice, Richard handles complex real estate and financing transactions. In his Real Estate Transactions class, he supplements lectures with materials and anecdotes from his career. "I enjoy using only real-life documents in the classroom, with relevant stories connected to them," he says.

Richard's involvement in Tucson goes far beyond real property. From the earliest days of his law practice, he has worked on cases involving school desegregation and has handled many cases concerning disabled children in state and federal courts. Many Arizonans know Richard through his leadership at the United Way, the Tucson Jewish Community Center, and other organizations.

Richard and his wife, Debbie, have two children: son Brian is married and lives and works in Los Angeles, and daughter Jennifer, who has worked in admissions for Berkeley, Michigan, and Harvard law schools, lives with her husband in Marin, California, and has two children -- "with whom I'll share my retirement!" Richard says.

Arizona Law is grateful to Richard for his years of teaching and mentoring. We wish him all the best in this next chapter of his life!

Ted Vogt became Director of the Arizona Department of Veterans' Services in June of 2013. Tomorrow we will welcome him back to campus to speak with students about his military experience and work experience in the private and public sectors.

Born in Iowa and raised in Utah, Ted received a BA in History from Yale University in 1995. He worked as an investment banker in New York City and as an advertising executive in Chicago before entering the US Air Force in 2000.

Ted was an intelligence officer in the US Air Force for six years. After 9/11, he served in Afghanistan and throughout the Middle East and later was stationed at the Pentagon, where he was a daily intelligence briefer for the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force. He left active duty in 2006 to begin law school on the GI Bill.

As a law student, Ted clerked for US Senator Jon Kyl on the Senate Judiciary's Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security in Washington, DC, and for the Criminal Division in the US Attorney's Office in Tucson. During his final semester in law school, he was appointed to a seat on the Arizona Legislature, serving one term and strongly advocating for veterans' issues.

Ted says he's looking forward to his visit back to campus -- his first visit since graduation.

"The College of Law's Veteran's Advocacy Law Clinic started when I was still a student, by my friend, classmate, and fellow veteran John Barwell ('10)," Ted says. "I'm looking forward to visiting with the students, seeing how much the Clinic has grown, and telling them about some of the exciting developments that their efforts on behalf of veterans have led to throughout the State of Arizona."

"It is an absolute honor to serve as Arizona's 'top vet' and advocate for the state's 600,000 veterans," Ted says. "The most rewarding aspect of the job is meeting with veterans and hearing about their service to our nation. The most challenging aspect is dealing with jurisdictional barriers -- such as state, federal, and tribal law -- that stand in the way of our veterans receiving the assistance they need and have earned."

Ted credits his law school education will helping him navigate the challenges of the job.

"While my department is amply represented by counsel within the Attorney General's office," he says, "on any given day, as a director of a state agency, I face issues involving diverse areas of the law from employment law, to administrative law, to federal Indian law. My legal training at the College of Law has given me a solid foundation to understand these issues and to lead the department through the challenges they present."

The University of Arizona Foundation's Office of Communications is asking all members of the U of A community to respond, in 100 words or less, to this question: "Why are you grateful to the University of Arizona?"

Share a few words with us about how the University has enhanced your life. We left the question intentionally open-ended for you to mine your memories or imagine your futures along whatever lines you choose!

We will gather all responses by the first of November. Please email responses to Jonelle Vold, Senior Director of Development, James E. Rogers College of Law, at jhv@email.arizona.edu.

"At a house party on March 29, 1997, I watched Arizona upset Carolina in the Final Four on their way to a National Championship. During the game, another third-year law student introduced me to Olivia, a second-year student. We soon fell in love and married three years later.

Now, we take our two kids to campus to cheer on the Wildcats and explore all the University has to offer. UA gave me a terrific education and amazing opportunities. But more than that, it gave me my life. Soon it will give us all a Rose Bowl. I will be forever grateful."